Moroccan Anise Bread

Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon honey or 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Recipe

• 1 dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the water. add the honey (or sugar) and let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• 2 add the remaining water, oil, anise, salt, and 2 cups of the flour to a large bowl. gradually stir in the remaining flour until the mixture holds together.
• 3 on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 4 punch down the dough and divide in half. shape each piece into a ball, cover, and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• 5 sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal or fine semolina (or you can grease the baking sheet). flatten each dough ball into a 6-inch round. some cooks flute the outer edge, others leave it plain; it's your choice. place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, cover, and let.
• 6 preheat the oven to 375°f.
• 7 pierce the dough around the sides with the tines of a fork or a toothpick. beat egg whites with water, and brush the tops of the loaves with the egg mixture. then lightly sprinkle the top of the loaf with the sesame seeds.
• 8 bake at 375° until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped, about 30 minutes. transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.